I have just discovered Boris Tchaikovsky (no relation to Peter). I find his music very rewarding. I read that there were similarities between his Second Symphony and the later 15th by Shostakovich. Not sure I agree but it made me search out a symphony that I have now listened to many times. It is a powerful, searching, tonal work in an idiom which recalls Shostakovich and Shebalin - I enjoy it greatly. I have now bought Symphony No 1 (Naxos) which has similar qualities. This is darkly powerful music. If you like Shostakovich/Miaskovsky I'd recommend Boris Tchaikovsky.
Here's some more info (note my avatar photo in the biography section ;D)
http://www.boris-tchaikovsky.com/english.htm
Oh forest murmurs! I wonder if it sound Wagnerian? :)
Rostropovich always regarded his music very highly and thought him the finest of the Russian composers not known in the West. I like but don't love his cello works - striking in some regards, but ultimately a little unmemorable.
Someone around here has his SQs.
How does he compare with Tischenko?
I have, and I have posted my impressions in the listening thread. Since I don't know Tischenko's SQs, I can't really compare.
There's a fine orchestral work as a coupling on the Profil/Kondrashin Shostakovich 15th disc as well.
Thanks for replies. I'm looking forward to hearing 'The Wind of Siberia' and the Chamber Symphony. On balance I prefer his music to the Tischenko that I have heard.
Some older sources translated the Russian name as "Chaykovsky."
Does this matter much to our Russian friends here?
Quote from: Scion7 on August 13, 2016, 06:25:49 PM
Some older sources translated the Russian name as "Chaykovsky."
Does this matter much to our Russian friends here?
AH HA!! Just athe I exthpected!! Here right here is proof that you work for Trump and are just a Republican Shill sent here to destabilize the Vote. For shaaame, scion, for shaaame!!!
:laugh:
The last name of Boris Alexandrovich and Pjotr Ilyich is the same in Cyrillic spelling. I am not sure about English but in German there have always been several ways to transcribe Cyrillic names and the pronunciation of "tch" or "ch" in English are usually almost identical so either could be used for that letter.
In fact, "Chaikovsky" would be more consistent because Alexandrovich or Ilyich end with the same letter and it is transcribed as "ch" there.
My favorite works of Boris Tchaikovsky's are the Sebastopol Symphony and The Wind of Siberia found on this excellent release:
(http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0001/102/MI0001102374.jpg?partner=allrovi.com)
Quote from: snyprrr on August 14, 2016, 09:10:17 AM
.... incoherence-incoherence-psychotic episode
You've gone quite mad! Me, take part in these shambolic American campaigns? A crazed woman unfit to be president vs. a crazed man unfit to be president? My dear snyprrr, I'm a
Cromwellian. The
New Model Army would handle both Clinton and Trump in a most ... final ... manner. :P
I'm also very curious how you lept to your rambling - unless it was a medication failure.
Does the music of B. Tchaikovsky always affect you this way? ;D
He seems a pretty melodic chap. If it was Reich or Cage, I could understand the mood swing to extremes - the feeling that music had stopped developing, and was going backwards towards pounding 2 rocks together while grunting tunelessly. >:D
M.I. - I would go with the Violin Concerto (Boris's personal favorite), the Sinfonietta (Shostakovich was much impressed), along with the chamber pieces - Piano Quintet, Cello Sonata and Violin Sonata.
His string quartets are inventive, if not spectacularly so - sometimes showing a Beethoven influence, although Boris T. is lyrical rather than rhythmic - it's more of a feel towards some of the melodic ideas of late Beethoven.
Quote from: Scion7 on August 15, 2016, 08:12:17 PM
You've gone quite mad! Me, take part in these shambolic American campaigns? A crazed woman unfit to be president vs. a crazed man unfit to be president? My dear snyprrr, I'm a Cromwellian. The New Model Army would handle both Clinton and Trump in a most ... final ... manner. :P
I'm also very curious how you lept to your rambling - unless it was a medication failure.
Does the music of B. Tchaikovsky always affect you this way? ;D
He seems a pretty melodic chap. If it was Reich or Cage, I could understand the mood swing to extremes - the feeling that music had stopped developing, and was going backwards towards pounding 2 rocks together while grunting tunelessly. >:D
mm... I guess timing is everything in comedy? Aaand... LocationLocationLocation!! I thought you knew everyone's invited to vote in this year's elections....??....
forgive me ;)
btw- I'M not the crazy one around here!!!!!!!!! :o :o :o
Quote from: snyprrr on August 16, 2016, 06:02:24 AM
I thought you knew everyone's invited to vote in this year's elections....??....
Although I joined the American navy (as a nuclear engineer, USS Tennessee SSBN) after university, and am an American citizen, I don't vote in the elections. My personal philosophy is that one should only vote in the country of one's birth. And while this
is the Colonies, after 1812, we sort of buried the hatchet on independence. 8)
Quote from: snyprrr on August 16, 2016, 06:02:24 AMI'm not the crazy one here! I'm not! I'M NOT! Who told you that? It was Zeus, wasn't it! By Jove, he'll pay for that remark!
We know! You're completely normal! $:)
Quote from: Scion7 on August 15, 2016, 08:28:58 PM
M.I. - I would go with the Violin Concerto (Boris's personal favorite), the Sinfonietta (Shostakovich was much impressed), along with the chamber pieces - Piano Quintet, Cello Sonata and Violin Sonata.
His string quartets are inventive, if not spectacularly so - sometimes showing a Beethoven influence, although Boris T. is lyrical rather than rhythmic - it's more of a feel towards some of the melodic ideas of late Beethoven.
Thanks for the recs, I'll check these out. I do believe I already own the
Sinfonietta, but I'll have to double check. Since I really enjoy chamber music, I'll check those works out, especially the sonatas for cello and violin.
Few activity on this thread. Listening to his Piano Trio in B minor from the disc below is an excellent reason to bring this thread to life again.
(https://www.chandos.net/artwork/NX3783.jpg)
What an impressive work! The 1st movement Toccata features some of the most stirring pages for this ensemble I've ever heard, absolutely rousing! The 2nd movement is a heartfelt and poignant Aria which makes counterweight to the ultra energetic 1st movement. Lastly, the final Variations display some fine counterpoint, reaching important intensity throughout. I wouldn't hesitate to call this work a masterpiece. A supremely tremendous find.
Quote from: Symphonic Addict on February 09, 2020, 04:56:36 PM
Few activity on this thread. Listening to his Piano Trio in B minor from the disc below is an excellent reason to bring this thread to life again.
(https://www.chandos.net/artwork/NX3783.jpg)
What an impressive work! The 1st movement Toccata features some of the most stirring pages for this ensemble I've ever heard, absolutely rousing! The 2nd movement is a heartfelt and poignant Aria which makes counterweight to the ultra energetic 1st movement. Lastly, the final Variations display some fine counterpoint, reaching important intensity throughout. I wouldn't hesitate to call this work a masterpiece. A supremely tremendous find.
Very nice, Cesar. I wouldn't mind exploring more of Tchaikovsky's music. I recall being thoroughly impressed with the
Sebastopol Symphony. In fact, this recording contained all superb works:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wiTEwCGWL.jpg)
I seem to also have been impressed with these recordings:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61o4WVZc%2BDL.jpg)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61aSIqMyUmL.jpg)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51zxLq8N1eL.jpg)
I need to get around to this 2-CD set at some point:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61de7iAX9KL.jpg)
Quote from: Mirror Image on February 10, 2020, 06:54:38 AM
Very nice, Cesar. I wouldn't mind exploring more of Tchaikovsky's music. I recall being thoroughly impressed with the Sebastopol Symphony. In fact, this recording contained all superb works:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wiTEwCGWL.jpg)
I seem to also have been impressed with these recordings:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61o4WVZc%2BDL.jpg)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61aSIqMyUmL.jpg)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51zxLq8N1eL.jpg)
I need to get around to this 2-CD set at some point:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61de7iAX9KL.jpg)
I did remember you liked the Sebastopol Symphony, John. A quite special piece. In fact, the whole Chandos CD of orchestral works is mandatory for any B. Tchaikovsky fan. It's truly superb. From the other CDs I know the one with the Piano Quintet. Rather good. The rest of them are waiting for me in the near future.
Quote from: Symphonic Addict on February 10, 2020, 07:07:53 AM
I did remember you liked the Sebastopol Symphony, John. A quite special piece. In fact, the whole Chandos CD of orchestral works is mandatory for any B. Tchaikovsky fan. It's truly superb. From the other CDs I know the one with the Piano Quintet. Rather good. The rest of them are waiting for me in the near future.
Indeed, Cesar. The Chandos recording is a fine disc. I'd say the next work you should hear is the
Chamber Symphony. I rather like this work (or, at least, I remember liking it --- I don't know how I feel about it nowadays ;)).
Thought I would revive this thread since there was some talk between Cesar and I on the 'Listening' thread and I believe another member had been listening to the Cello Concerto (the recording with Rostropovich). Anyway, I'd say one of the more remarkable qualities of B. Tchaikovsky's music is its lyricism and ability to draw a listener in with some fascinating harmonic/melodic ideas. To my knowledge, there is another known Tchaikovsky: Alexander. Anyway, I think the reason why Boris isn't well-known isn't the fact that he shares a name with one of the biggest Russian composers ever, but the fact that it seems he was a rather modest man and didn't really know too much about how to promote his music. Of course, this didn't stop conductors like Kondrashin, Fedoseyev, Alexander Gauk, amongst others from performing his music and recording it. I think he comes across as someone like Weinberg who didn't care much about the marketing side of music and just wanted to continue to hone their craft and, hopefully, write good music that people will enjoy. Of course, both of these composers' ideals are different and the circumstances they wrote under were also rather different. It seems that Boris found his compositional voice around the time of the Sebastopol Symphony or, at least, this is what I recall reading. Some interesting little trivia: Boris was a student of Shostakovich's. 8)
To those who haven't heard of this composer and are the least bit curious about his music, I'd point to the Sebastopol Symphony as a good introduction, but I'd say the chamber works like the Piano Trio, Piano Quintet and the SQs would also make for good introductions.
He somehow hasn't really grabbed my attention that much, but maybe it's time for some more listening.
It's nice if Naxos is doing a chamber music series.
EDIT: Am giving the piano concerto a try, from the Brilliant box of Russian Piano Concertos.
I've got these, includes some old LP material ...
CD "1.Symfoni" (1947)/E.Serov,VolgogradPO/naxos 07 8.570195
LP "3.Symfoni, Sevastopol" B-Dur (1980)/Fedoseev,USSRRSO/mel 84 c10 20245 002
LP "Cellokoncert" (1964)/Feighin,Serov,SO/mel 33c10 10919-20
cd "Klaverkoncert" ()/Solovieva,Mynbaev,RusAcMusCO/brill 15cd 95520
CD "After the Ball: Suite" (1952)/E.Serov,VolgogradPO/naxos 07 8.570195
lp "Sinfonietta f.Strygere" (1953)/Gauk,USSRRSO/liberty mono swl15001
CD "The Murmuring Forest: Suite" (1953)/E.Serov,VolgogradPO/naxos 07 8.570195
LP "Klavertrio" (1953)/Soli/mel 33c10 06097-98
CD "1.Strygekvartet" (1954)/solister/northern flowers 2cd 08 nf 9964-65
LP "Cellosonate" (1957)/Soli/mel 33c10 06097-98
CD "2.Strygekvartet" (1962)/solister/northern flowers 2cd 08 nf 9964-65
LP "Klaverkvintet" (1962)/Tschaikowsky,Borodin4/mel c10 07567-68
CD "3.Strygekvartet" (1967)/solister/northern flowers 2cd 08 nf 9964-65
CD "4.Strygekvartet" (1972)/solister/northern flowers 2cd 08 nf 9964-65
lp "4.Strygekvartet" (1972)/Suk4/panton 75 11 0527f (Cover:Z.Prokop)
CD "5.Strygekvartet" (1974)/solister/northern flowers 2cd 08 nf 9964-65
LP "5.Strygekvartet" (1974)/Prokofief4/mel 33c10 10919-20
CD "6.Strygekvartet" (1976)/solister/northern flowers 2cd 08 nf 9964-65
lp "6.Strygekvartet" (1976)/Suk4/panton 2lp 77 11 0665-66
DWL "2.Klaversonate" (1952)/Solovieva/
The Piano Concerto receives a good performance in the Brilliant Russian Piano Concertos box. It can also be found on a Naxos single CD, together with the Clarinet Concerto etc.
But it's a grim work, often reaching a late-Ustvolskayan, hammering and sparse musical language, with a bit of softening up melodically at times. But generally, the martial, also Shosty-inspired, idiom is quite typical of a lot of similar composers from the USSR-generations. Perhaps he has a bit of personal traits in that martial sparseness though, I seem to remember that one finds it in quite a few works of his.
Quote from: MusicTurner on May 27, 2020, 02:11:06 AM
The Piano Concerto receives a good performance in the Brilliant Russian Piano Concertos box. It can also be found on a Naxos single CD, together with the Clarinet Concerto etc.
But it's a grim work, often reaching a late-Ustvolskayan, hammering and sparse musical language, with a bit of softening up melodically at times. But generally, the martial, also Shosty-inspired, idiom is quite typical of a lot of similar composers from the USSR-generations. Perhaps he has a bit of personal traits in that martial sparseness though, I seem to remember that one finds it in quite a few works of his.
There's only a vagueness to Shostakovich, but that's about it. I find him to be bit more daring in his approach to harmony compared to Shostakovich. You can hear it in works like
Music for Orchestra from that fantastic Chandos recording. I liked the
Piano Concerto but I prefer the performance with the composer himself playing the piano and Fedoseyev conducting.
Concerto devoted
(https://sun9-50.userapi.com/impg/M8Bo_qMrrRYb0g8X5bkXn9OlnAUwncT2KLfoTA/JISX8fAES6A.jpg?size=1800x1320&quality=96&sign=a465dfb66a88249401b7c129ade07824&type=album)